1981 Topps Baseball Cards

The most notable thing about 1981 Topps Baseball is its design. Anchored by a hat on the card front, the set is instantly recognizable. Unfortunately, the checklist is lacking that one big-time rookie card that would push it over the edge.

The 1981 Topps Baseball checklist has 726 cards, the same as it had been for the previous three years. As mentioned, the most prominent feature of the card front is the ball cap that's at the bottom of the card. Inside the hat is the team name. Player photos have a color outline that gives way to a thin white border.

1981 Topps Baseball card backs focus primarily on career statistics. Where there's space, they also have a pair of small comic illustrations and an extremely short bio.

A quartet of the decade's biggest fan favorites have rookie cards in 1981 Topps Baseball. Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson each have solo rookies. Tim Raines and Fernando Valenzuela are both featured on team-themed prospect cards. Mike Scioscia is also on the Valenzuela rookie. While many collectors remember these players fondly, they don't command huge sums on the secondary market.

Ryan Cracknell | E-Mail AuthorRyan is a former member of The Cardboard Connection Writing Staff.
His collecting origins began with winter bike rides to the corner store, tossing a couple of quarters onto the counter and peddling home with a couple packs of O-Pee-Chee hockey in his pocket. Today, he continues to build sets, go after inserts with cool technologies, chase Montreal Expos and finish off his John Jaha master collection.